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Merging agencies has fiscal appeal
By JAMIE JONES, Times Staff Writer BROOKSVILLE -- Assistant Fire Chief Danny Roberts said Thursday that he could possibly save the county $75,870 by folding the Emergency Management Office into Hernando County Fire Rescue. Roberts emphasized that his figures were preliminary and said he still had several budgets to review before he could give an accurate estimate. Three county commissioners said Thursday that they had not yet seen a detailed plan for merging the two agencies, but said they would examine the possibility in coming months. "Saving $75,000 sounds good to me," said Commissioner Diane Rowden. "It seems like the idea has a lot of merit." For county residents, the change could mean a pool of firefighters on hand to help examine sinkholes and other problems typically handled through Emergency Management. Overall, the change would largely be organizational, with Emergency Management officers still responding to gas leaks, chemical spills and flooded areas. Historically, Emergency Management has been an independent department with a top administrator who reported to the county administrator and county commissioners. Rather than having a director, Roberts proposes having a manager at a lower pay grade to oversee day-to-day operations. That manager would report to a fire chief rather than county officials. Robert says the county could pay a manager $44,819 rather than the $68,314 it was paying former Director Bill Appleby -- saving $23,495. Roberts says having firefighters on hand would allow the county to eliminate one of its two emergency management technician positions, saving about $30,000. Those two technicians are frequently overworked, Roberts said. Merging the departments could save about $10,000 a year in overtime, he said. He also predicts about $10,000 in savings by sharing equipment such as copying machines and supplies and through group training. Roberts would keep other employees such as a program coordinator and secretary. Emergency Management receives $245,641 from the county's general fund and also receives grants for programs, Roberts said. He said he believes he can shave $75,870 from the budget that could be used to improve the fire department or for other county expenses. "There are still things we need to look at and work out," Roberts said. The change is being considered in part because of problems in the Emergency Management Office, which for months was its own disaster. County leaders called the office dysfunctional and ordered counseling. Former director Appleby resigned earlier this month, and Roberts was appointed interim director. Emergency management employees say the operation is running smoother than ever and that they look forward to continued improvements. Commission Chairwoman Nancy Robinson said having Roberts on board is a good way to test whether merging the departments is a good idea. She said she did not yet have enough information to offer an opinion as to whether the idea is a good one. Commissioners are looking at how other counties organize their emergency management departments and also said they will be focusing on whether this change would improve safety throughout the county. Brooksville Fire Chief James Daugherty said Thursday that his only concern was that his department have one person within Emergency Management that they could call when necessary. "We'll work with them in whatever way we can," Daugherty said. -- Jamie Jones can be reached at 754-6114. Send e-mail to jjones@sptimes.com.
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